Since I started my PR career, I noticed right away there was a negative connotation associated with public relations and public relations professionals. PR people have been compared to Pitbulls, gate keepers, busy-bodies, sensationalists and liars… but why? When people ask me what it is I do as a PR person, I reply with, “I promote people and companies.” Aside from the Pitbugg reference (which I kind of like), I don’t see any of those other descriptions tied to what I do day-to-day. I decided it was time to get to the bottom of this, and expose some of the reasons why people hate PR people, starting with us: The PR Professional.

Some People Are Just Bad At Their Jobs

Every day people in the industry hear about a PR person who pissed off a reporter. Pretty much, it’s for the same reasons:

1. Pitched a reporter who does not cover that beat
2. Don’t understand the company they are pitching
3. Was not sensitive to the reporter’s deadline

To help save money, cash-strapped PR firms (and even in-house marketing departments) have a tendency to put entry- to lower-level employees in charge of too much on certain accounts. What they tend to forget, is that they are at a lower billable rate for a reason. These PR people are not experienced enough to make final decisions, starting with the 1st complaint above. Pitching a reporter who does not cover your client’s beat is one of the biggest, and easiest, mistakes a PR person can make. Mistakes do happen, and in this economy, with reporters switching beats and publications everyday, it can be difficult to keep track. But with contact lists growing to the thousands, PR firms must be more diligent about quality control.

For example, when my company K/F Communications landed a great new account, a major complaint they had about their old representation, was that they had little senior management and were primarily working with lower-level employees on a daily basis. While perusing the press materials provided by their old firm, we found that not only were the documents incomplete, but they were also inaccurate. Editorial calendars with items included that had nothing to do with the client’s business. Members of the press listed on their contact list that were not only completely inappropriate given the company’s focus, but also ones that have stated on numerous occasions they do not want to be pitched for any reason (ie Chris Anderson, Editor-in-Chief, WIRED). Not only does pitching the wrong people waste client time (and time=money) but it also pisses reporters off and can have a serious affect on the quality of coverage the company will receive from that publication going forward.

Not all PR people do this. The practitioners at K/F Communications (yes, I am biased ) go through every list multiple times to ensure it is targeted and the announcement is relevant to everyone on it. The practitioners that care, and take the time to study up on their clients' industries, don’t make these kinds of mistakes. For example, I spend a good part of my day reading the top tech blogs like Mashable and TechCrunch, top tier business press like BusinessWeek and TIME, and staying on top of the tweets by my favorite bloggers/reporters on Twitter. Not only does this keep me up to date with what is happening in my client’s industry (as well as my own) but also gives me a better understanding of industry direction and perception. Bottom line: If you don’t understand your client’s business, or their industry, you cannot do your job.

The problem is that not all PR people understand this, or care enough to try. This does a huge disservice to the profession, because to a reporter, everyone in the industry looks more like a sales person than a colleague.

Education is a major part of the 2nd complaint listed above. The only real way to understand your client, and have any hope of successfully pitching them to the press, is to learn as much as you can about them. Can you tell me in one sentence what your client does? Can you tell me why I should care about what they do? If not, you need to delve a little deeper (not just memorize their corporate messaging). Use their product (if that is possible), spend a day working at their office, get a tour of their facility, be a silent listener on a sales call. Do whatever you can to really “get it.”

Caring is a major part in the 3rd complaint above. PR people must care not only about their profession and the task at hand, but also the client they are working for. Not caring about these things means you are not going to treat the reporter (who you are trying to win over, let me remind you) with the respect they deserve. What I’m saying is, “Treat others as you would like to be treated.” And it goes both ways between PR people and reporters (I have definitely met my fair share of reporters who have forgotten this golden rule), but why can’t PR people take the first steps and educate themselves, be a little bit more considerate, take the time to care about their clients and their craft.

No one wants to be called out for doing their job poorly, but quality control definitely helps. Two years ago, Chris Anderson posted a blog with the names of every PR person he had blocked as a result of their spamming (The Long Tail, Sorry PR People: You're Blocked). Today, Rafe Needleman, editor of Webware.com/CNet.com, maintains a list of PR Pro Tips that result from the bad experiences he has had with PR people. By highlighting their flaws, one tip at a time, he has helped other PR people understand what not to do (as long as they’re listening). I respect Rafe, and was terrified I would end up on his list after meeting him in person at a client briefing several months ago. (No, none of my mannerisms were featured, and he ended up writing a fantastic review on my client’s new product - yay!) FYI - This month only, PR people can order a free copy of Rafe’s book, highlighting these tips. Visit PR Pro Tips for more information.

So, why do people hate PR people? It is because some PR people deserve to be hated on. Unfortunately, those who care about their craft, are bundled with those who don’t, and end up paying the price for their mistakes. But this isn’t the only reason. In future posts, I’ll explore other reasons why “public relations” leaves a bad taste in the mouth of some people. And if you’re a reporter reading this, and have something to add, please leave a comment, or contact me via the links on the right. I’d love to hear your stories.